Emblem 53

Emblem 53

A man looking at his face in a hand mirrorAI-generated

Princes meschans, promptement sont congneuz.

Wicked princes are quickly recognized.AI-generated

Description of the woodcutAI-generated

A woodcut set in a shallow interior with hatched walls and a doorway at left. A bearded man wearing a plumed cap, a short cloak, doublet, puffed breeches and hose stands in the centre, turned to the right. He holds up a round hand-mirror in his outstretched right hand at the level of his head; a face is visible reflected in the mirror glass. His left arm is bent, and a cloak hangs from his shoulder; a sword or dagger hilt is at his waist.

Subscriptio

Facsimile page of emblem 53 — Facsimile of the page (Herzog August Bibliothek); click to enlarge.

TranscriptionAI-generated

PEtite tache, ou macule en la face,On void plus tost, que grãde sur le corps:Le visage est ouuert en toute place,Le corps caché n'est veu que par dehors.Par ceste Embleme estre pouuons recordz,Qu'vn petit vice on note plus au Prince,Que lon ne faict, vn grand en homme mince.En bas estat, vices sont incongneuz.Roys & Seigneurs, en tout regne, ou Prouince,S'ilz sont meschãs, sont promptemét cõgneuz.

TranslationAI-generated

A little spot or blemish on the face is seen sooner than a large one on the body: the face is exposed everywhere, the hidden body is seen only from outside. By this emblem we may be reminded that a small vice is noticed more in a Prince than a great one is in a lowly man. In low estate, vices go unnoticed. Kings and Lords, in every realm or province, if they are wicked, are promptly recognized.

Iconclass

86(PRINCES MESCHANS, PROMPTEMENT SONT CONGNEUZ) proverbs, sayings, etc. (PRINCES MESCHANS, PROMPTEMENT SONT CONGNEUZ)

41A2 interior of the house

44B1 ruler, sovereign

31A253 postures and gestures of arms and hands in relation to the head

31A25552 index finger forwards, pointing, indicating

31A511 mirror

31A51111 reflection (in a mirror)

31A5111 looking in the mirror; (possibly: contemplation of own beauty)

44B17 bad ruler

51HH4 Lack, Deficiency

Suggested Iconclass codesAI-generated

Additional codes proposed for this emblem, not (yet) part of the indexing.

31A511 mirrorhigh

The central motif is a round hand-mirror held up by the man, matching the plain correlate 'mirror'.

31A51111 reflection (in a mirror)high

A face is explicitly visible reflected in the mirror glass, matching 'reflection (in a mirror)'.

Relationships to the Adagia of ErasmusAI-generated

Suggested relationships between this emblem and adages in Erasmus’ Adagia.

IV x 38 Macula, Labes – thematic inventiomedium

The subscriptio opens with the very terms of this adage ('Petite tache, ou macule en la face'), and Erasmus explains macula/labes as the metaphor for the man of notorious repute, applicable above all to those who stain a good name inherited or won — precisely the emblem's point that the smallest blemish is conspicuous in a prince.

IV viii 23 In ore atque oculis – thematic inventiolow

Erasmus' adage concerns what is done openly, 'before the face and in the sight of all'; the emblem turns on the same contrast between the exposed face ('Le visage est ouuert en toute place') and the hidden body, applied to the public visibility of a prince's vices.